Clipper Ships

Clipper ships dominated transoceanic trade in the 1850s with sleek hulls, massive sail plans, and speeds of 20+ knots. They evolved under specific selection pressure: speed mattered more than cargo capacity for premium goods (tea, opium), wind was free while coal was expensive, and skilled sailors were abundant.

But when the Suez Canal opened (1869), coal stations proliferated, and cargo volume became more valuable than speed, the entire selection pressure reversed. By 1900, clipper ships were obsolete - not because they got worse, but because the environment changed. They exemplify how yesterday's peak fitness becomes tomorrow's death valley.